Tuesday is World No Tobacco day and to mark the occasion, the Simcoe Muskoka District health unit has announced the winners of this years Tobacco-Free Champion Awards.
Lislie Gordon is the Tobacco Program co ordinator and says this year 10 individuals and groups picked up the awards for their efforts at creating smoke free environments and encouraging to help people give up their addiction to tobacco.
A Barrie resident advocating for smoke-free options for social housing tenants, Midlands Junior C hockey organization, and an Orillia campus Georgian College dental educator are among 10 individuals and groups being recognized as 2011 Tobacco-Free Champions by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit.
She says this years champions were nominated by community members, public health staff and health care professionals in the community.
Joanne Farrell, interim co-ordinator, Georgian College Dental Hygiene Program in Orillia is being recognized for her efforts to ensure that all students in the dental hygiene and assistant programs and faculty are trained in minimal contact intervention.
Gordon says that is a tobacco cessation intervention designed to raise awareness about the health hazards of tobacco use and to assist anyone who states they would like support to help them reduce or quit.
Orillia Soldiers Memorial Hospital is being recognized for completing the final phase of its smoke-free campus policy making its grounds 100% smoke- free during National Non-Smoking Week in January 2011. The hospital began restricting onsite smoking in 2007 and has been supporting staff to quit in the intervening time including covering the cost of smoking cessation products.
